Roberto De Zerbi was delighted to banish Marseille's struggles on the road after they beat Strasbourg 2-1 away from home on Friday evening. The game seemed destined for a draw until Michael Murillo struck deep in stoppage time, giving Les Phocéens their first points on the road this season and ending a losing streak against Strasbourg that had lasted since 2022.
From Paris scalp to Strasbourg triumph
Marseille’s resurgence has been remarkable. Earlier this week, they stunned Paris Saint-Germain in Le Classique with a 1-0 victory, thanks to Nayef Aguerd’s fifth-minute strike, ending nearly 14 years of home league frustration against the Parisian giants. That win seemed like a flash in the pan, but the Strasbourg triumph lifted Marseille to the top of the Ligue 1 table, temporarily at least.
AdvertisementAFPDe Zerbi demands away day grit
De Zerbi was candid about his frustration with past away performances, saying at a press conference: "[The poor away form] was starting to annoy me. I was thinking about it in the stands. I don't want to be a team that's only good at the Velodrome. I want us to be good in Lyon, at the Parc des Princes, or in Strasbourg. Since the end of the transfer window and the arrival of [Benjamin] Pavard, Aguerd, and [Matt] O'Riley, there has been a surge in new signings. Since then, we've won three games in three, with only one goal conceded."
De Zerbi warns against complacency
Marseille were forced to come from behind to get the three points on Friday, with Strasbourg opening the scoring early in the second half, but a 78th minute Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang strike followed by a stoppage time winner from Amir Murillo wrapped up the points. The Italian tactician was glad to see them fight back, but stressed they must maintain their intensity.
"Marseille of August isn't far off," he warned his troops. "We can never relax. There's always something that can happen every day. We must always be attentive, humble, and down to earth. We can obviously be happy and celebrate the victory. We must never forget the match against Rennes, against Lyon, even the home match against Paris FC. We felt we were having trouble expressing ourselves. It was different against PSG."
AFPEyes on Europe and the next league test
Marseille now have a tough schedule ahead. Next up, they host Ajax in the Champions League, a game that will test their mettle against Europe’s elite. After that, they travel to Metz for another Ligue 1 encounter on October 4.